Problem: Write the following expression in its most factored form: $6x-12$
To factor a polynomial, you should first try to find the greatest common factor of all the terms. The factors of $6x$ are $1$ $2$ $3$ $6$ , and $x$ and the factors of $-12$ are $1$ $2$ $3$ $4$ $6$ , and $12$ The greatest common factor of $6x$ and $-12$ is $6$ We can factor out the $6$ and put it before the parenthesis. If we divide each of the terms in the original expression by $6$ we get $\dfrac{6x}{6} = x$ and $\dfrac{-12}{6} = -2$ So the factored expression is $6(x - 2)$.